Life Skills (Barclays)

[estebanrey]

But that isn't the point they are tying to make, you are missing their point as I said. I care less that a young person may mispronounce a few words than I do about a monosyllabic response littered with noises as the person is answering the question without giving it reasonable thought. Getting both aspects right would be a preference but then small steps as one is an example of habit one is an example of thought process and coherence.

But his point isn't about monosyllabic responses, or at least it isn't pointed out that clearly if it is. It seems to be about not using 'erm' or 'err' when being interviewed.

Someone mentioned Stephen Fry earlier and this is the first video on Youtube of a search of his name and he uses 'erm' and 'err' 7 times (by my count) in the first minute alone...

Are you suggesting he would be a poor interviewee?

 

[Housey]

Are you suggesting he would be a poor interviewee?

No, but then my decision process would not be predicated on his use of language as he has a broader spectrum on life skills, even though his use here is annoying an indicative of someone working on auto. But we are not talking about Stephen Fry, we are talking about Johnny 16 year old looking for his first job and who is seeking to make a good impression. If Johnny turns up, dresses smart, stands up straight and speaks with forethought he is going to be in a good place where as the others who erm and um, who look scruffy, who don't make and effort will look less favourable.

THIS is the point, you seek to take 1 aspect and elevate it and I say again you are missing the point that is trying to be made here and many of those (in my small sample) get it really well.

 

[estebanrey]

No, but then my decision process would not be predicated on his use of language as he has a broader spectrum on life skills, even though his use here is annoying an indicative of someone working on auto. But we are not talking about Stephen Fry, we are talking about Johnny 16 year old looking for his first job and who is seeking to make a good impression. If Johnny turns up, dresses smart, stands up straight and speaks with forethought he is going to be in a good place where as the others who erm and um, who look scruffy, who don't make and effort will look less favourable.

But that is common sense is it not? My point is that if people need to be told such basic stuff they probably aren't cut out for the world of work anyway.

 

[Nitefly]

I've made a conscious effort to remove errrrms from my public speaking. Better to simply have a couple of seconds of silence.

 

[Housey]

But that is common sense is it not? My point is that if people need to be told such basic stuff they probably aren't cut out for the world of work anyway.

Common sense for you and me perhaps, buy I am 47, one would hope I have life sort of clear now. But then I am not a 16 year old school leaver which is who these adverts are aimed at or someone who aspires to the "get confident stupid" school of education.

 

[Housey]

I've made a conscious effort to remove errrrms from my public speaking. Better to simply have a couple of seconds of silence.

Silence is a powerful aspect of public speaking I agree as long as it's followed shortly after with something insightful and not a big fart.

 

[adolf hamster]

they have similar things over here, only its the government in charge of it.

its a similar thing to second year at uni here, we have a module [yes an actual module] on how to go out and get a job which mostly consists of a lecturer ranting on about cv's and interviews.

ironic given how the way tech did it consisted of the tutor just telling us about places that were advertising every now and then.

 

[Pestilence]

I question how many people who have a view on this thread have worked within the education system as a private sector business person...

I've been asked to. Initial response: **** NO. Second response... yeah, sure. When they can come up with an actual brief for me beyond "We want you to talk about writing." Ball's in their court at the moment.

Since then they actually expressed interest in having me also come in to talk about practical filmmaking as part of a course, but then had no idea about the actual technical aspects that they were going to have students facing when making their own 'semi-pro' short film. Ball's in their court on that one, too.

I'm pretty confident that in both aspects I'd work very well with your everyday high school student, but I'm sure as **** not just going to wing it. The students deserve more than that.

Silence is a powerful aspect of public speaking I agree as long as it's followed shortly after with something insightful and not a big fart.

As long as there's a grotesquely strained grimace before the fart, I'll allow it.

 

[Kronos]

Do these adverts depress everyone else, like me?

I mean, are young people these days really that stupid that they need the most basic, common sense stuff like this explained to them?

Also, have Barclays considered that most of these young people might place their 'rep' and cliched 'urban badboy' personality above getting a job? The kind of people that think being intelligent is a bad thing who sadly seem more prevalent these days.

Some of the ads seem to defeat their own message....

A video teaching teenagers how to speak correctly using an actor that misses the s off of 'sometimes' (0:07) and pronounces 'than' as 'dan' (0:26). Forget the 'erms' (which are actually quite natural pauses in speech provided they don't precede every sentence of course) and start by dropping that 'street' accent and you'll probably do a lot better.

My favourite one though is this....

No mate, that Kid 'n' Play haircut from early nineties makes you look a bit daft

Oh and in before "kids these days"

No they do not depress me but they do sicken me coming from a bank who I sued for harassment (and won with substantial damages awarded). This bank used to call up to 10 times a day when my wife due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances got in to serious financial difficulties.

Even though Barclay's had received letters from lawyers appraising the bank of the situation and informing them of the c=action being taken to resolve the issues the bank continued to call at all times of the day and night 7 days a week. I eventually recorded all incoming calls from the bank, I answered them myself getting the caller to identify themselves.

So taking lessons on life skills from Barclay's, don't make me laugh. But I note that most banks now seem to have ads telling us how wonderful they are and how helpful they want to be. I for one am not a convert.

 

[Housey]

I've been asked to. Initial response: **** NO. Second response... yeah, sure. When they can come up with an actual brief for me beyond "We want you to talk about writing." Ball's in their court at the moment.

Since then they actually expressed interest in having me also come in to talk about practical filmmaking as part of a course, but then had no idea about the actual technical aspects that they were going to have students facing when making their own 'semi-pro' short film. Ball's in their court on that one, too.

I'm pretty confident that in both aspects I'd work very well with your everyday high school student, but I'm sure as **** not just going to wing it. The students deserve more than that.

Experience has shown me you have to take the initiative, you can't rely on getting a clear brief or direction on what to say outside of some sketchy themes they seek to get across. I have taken the view of knowing what the issues I see are and then talking around those with some real world examples of the good and the bad. Humour and humbleness is key also as talking down to people or elevating yourself leads to a room full of switched off people. Get them engaged and involved and it's very satisfying.

 

[Housey]

they have similar things over here, only its the government in charge of it.

its a similar thing to second year at uni here, we have a module [yes an actual module] on how to go out and get a job which mostly consists of a lecturer ranting on about cv's and interviews.

ironic given how the way tech did it consisted of the tutor just telling us about places that were advertising every now and then.

To be frank the issue you have is the people best placed to discuss what busineses look for in candidates leaving school and to provide insights are not teachers who usually have little or no experience working outside of the education system. They need help.

 

[Freefaller]

I've made a conscious effort to remove errrrms from my public speaking. Better to simply have a couple of seconds of silence.

Same. As well as trying to avoid filler sentences like "you know" and so on. I'd rather pause and think, but then again I'm more often a cat-on-my-lap-stroker than someone a wham-bam-thank-you-maam sort of person.

 

[adolf hamster]

To be frank the issue you have is the people best placed to discuss what busineses look for in candidates leaving school and to provide insights are not teachers who usually have little or no experience working outside of the education system. They need help.

this is true, the uni lecturer seems the type to have stayed in the education domain all his life, very tetchy about their title academic type.

at tech though different story, all of the tutors had started the role as settling down from industry, very useful as they almost always put an industrial anecdote around whatever their subject was making things a lot clearer.

you are right though, having seen both sides of the education spectrum i much preferr those who have spent considerable time working, they tend to be friendlier and teach better.

 

[pitchfork]

To be fair I do feel bad for this generation and their useless parents.

It's like their parents wait on them hand and foot, give them loads of money and wonder why "their special guy" is ****ing useless at everything, can't find a job and if they do they're useless at that too.

"How does little Tarquin have no life skills?"

Because you never taught the spoilt little twit anything.

 

[Housey]

you can either sit on the fence, throw stones and moan about the schools and parents, or you can get off your ass and try to help and share some insights.

To be fair I do feel bad for this generation and their useless parents.

It's like their parents wait on them hand and foot, give them loads of money and wonder why "their special guy" is ****ing useless at everything, can't find a job and if they do they're useless at that too.

"How does little Tarquin have no life skills?"

Because you never taught the spoilt little twit anything.

Easiest job in the world is throwing stones from the tall grass...

 

[Judgeneo]

Seems like a good idea, I have no idea what the standards were like in the past, but a lot of my generation need this sort of advice.

Agreed about "erms" being less important than pronounciation and grammar. We have a good number of crap public speakers working here, to some extent its forgiven as most people stuggle with it. We don't have anyone who speaks "street" though, and I've heard about otherwise fine interviewees being rejected for it.

 

[zpos]

How many young people could actually construct a paragraph without resorting to a spellchecker?

I think these are fabulous and it drives discussions about useful like skills if only young people detached themselves from their headphones!!

 

[Lopéz]

I speak to plenty of grown adults who have been working for years who struggle with this sort of thing, let alone students with little to no experience. I think that things like this are a great idea, but then I work in Learning and Development and HR, which according to many on this forum is a waste of time job, so what would I know?